Remote-control switch structure



July 26, 1949. L; F. BERRY ErAL REMOTE-CONTROL SWITCH STRUCTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 4, 1947 www July 26, 1949. L. F. BERRY ErAL 2,477,156

`REMOTE-CONTROL SWITCH STRUCTURE Filed Aug. 4, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 7; a /z [F70 fa?? [Pip l 73 l:P70 l '4j 5/ 74 Fzzq 7 gvwcwvto'u:

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Patented July'zs, 1949 REMOTE-CONTROL SWITCH STRUC'l-'UBE Lathrop F. Berry and Flaviua Eugene Davia, III,

Jackson, Mich.

I Application August 4, 1947, Serial No. '155,914

2 Claims. (Cl. 20o-87) This invention relates to actuators, especially in conjunction with switches, and also in having to do with systems therefor with associations in multiple and even for'primary and secondary operations.

This invention has utility when incorporated in solenoid or coil actuators for electric switches in diverse embodiments involving remotel control, especially in the actuator circuit or circuits of the general character adequately cared for by annunciator wiring, as adapted to operate electric bells, and buzzers, instead of the usually much greater capacity of circuit carrying directly the voltage and amperage for lighting, normal household, oillce lighting and power circuits. With the signal or remote control circuit of say thirty volts or less, and the power requirement in the range of one hundred fifty watts, adequate safety wiring is had in the use of annunicator wire for the control circuit. .The equipment as herein dis--- closed is adapted to be incorporated in a wide range of locations from ceiling or wall canopies. outlet boxes, junction boxes, and even from extensions. Single, multiple or even alternative control may be provided at adjacent or remote stations by the association therewith of actuators or actuators and diverse non-hazardous signallike control circuits therefrom.

Referring to the drawings:

Fis. l is a vertical section thru a wall located outlet box having an embodiment of the switch actuator of the invention incorporated therein;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view, from the front, of the oscillator feature of the actuator adapted for primary and secondary controls;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of some of the features of the oscillator of Fig. 2, and with a secondary control switch as operated thereby, in closed position;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line IV-IV, Fig. 3,l

but showing the switch 'of Fig. 3 in open position, and broken away in showing another, relatively angularly adjustable control with its` switch in closed position;

Fig. 5 is a wiring diagram of an embodiment of the signal circuit wherein one actuator may have a position to nullify the other, which other has a plurality of stations;

Fig. 6 is a view of the oscillator of Fig. 2 in its normal position of rest, or as retracted and in position for a succeeding actuation; and

Fig. '1 is a wiring diagram involving a plurality of actuators disclosing the wide range for system assembly and interconnection in responding .l

to manifold control requirements.

Electric power lines I, 2 (Fig. 5) say for sixty cycle and one hundred twenty volt supply electric current, may be in a usual household or ofnce installation for concealed or conduit wiring in the range of desired uses, as illumination by a light 3.

Under the invention herein, say as from a bell, buzzer or other signal circuit, there is additional connections from a transformer 4 to step down the voltage. From such a signal circuit line 5, a branch is to one side of a coil 1. Another line 8 of the signal circuit from the transformer I, has a branch l in which are located a plurality of switches I0. When adopting switches Il of the push button type, they may be normally open and responding for circuit closing at the interval of depressing thereof. Upon closing any one of the switches Il. there is a connection to a line II extending from the other side of the coil 1, resulting in energizing of the coil 1. A core or plunger I2 (Figs. l, 2) in the coil 1, normally down in a brass guide tube I3 against a rubber or sound deadening cushion I 4, is given a quick upward thrust from the current in the coil 1.

Pivoted upon and extending upward from the plunger I2 is a pointer or swing finger I5, adapted in the upward thrust of the plunger I2, to have its upper free end ride over a bracket wall It and somewhat back from an insulation disk I1 fixed on a shaft Il extending thru the wall I6. Fixed with the disk I1, on the side thereof toward the wall Il, is a segment or arc plate I9 having outwardly extending faces 2li, 2i, spaced by a less radial distance cam point 22 having therefrom diverging faces to the respective faces 20, 2I.

From a fixed bracket 23, mounting the coil 1, there rises a lug 24, from which upwardly extends a tension helical spring 25 to a pin 26 thru the disk I1 into the plate I9 for rocking these parts together on the shaft I8 to one side or the other as above the medial or dead point of the shaft II. The normal retracted position for the upper free end ofthe linger I5 is a centralized or neutral upward position. yieldably set by balanced tension spring 21 (Fig. 6). At stop positions, the point 22 of the cam is to one side or the other of the retracted nger tip I5. Energizing of the coil 1, causing outward thrust of the finger I5, has its tip ride along one side of the cam point 22 to push a face 20 or 2I in effecting a rocking of the shaft Il, clockwise or counterclockwise (Figs. 6, 2). The springs 21 direct the tip of the finger Il to ride toward the shaft I0, while there is limit to outward throw or travel of the ilnger I5 by the pins 28, 2l, fromr the wall I8. Upon de-enswitch 45 eration of the switch 33. Contrariwise, with the f 3 ergizing of the coil l, the springs 21 retract the flnger Il to be clear of the point 22 and directed toward the shai't I8, in position for a succeeding thrust operation, regardless oi.' the axial direction of the coil 1.

The shaft I8, in extending thru the bracket wall I8, may have ilxed thereon a plurality of insulation disks or cylinders 30. 'I'he rocking of the shaft I8 thru an arc of about 90 for the iace 28 away from the stop pin 28 limit position therefor, brings the face 2| to its stop pin 28. Fixed with the shaft I8, a thick insulation disk 30 has a pin 3| (Figs. 3, 4) or radial lug ride upward against a switch spring arm 32 to move its free end contact 33 against an opposing contact 34 on a. yieldable arm 35 from a terminal 36.

'I'he closing of the switch 33, 34, connects the electric power line 2 to a line 3l extending to the power consuming equipment to be controlled, herein shown as the light 3. This is an instance of the operation resulting from the closing of any one of the switches I in the momentary single thrust thereof. A succeedingV operation of a switch I8 again thrusts the linger I5, but in its upward rise, instead of riding toward the face 2li, it now rides toward the lower face 2l as directed by the cam 22, to have the face 2| move upward, as the face 20 comes down. Accordingly the shaft I8. and its carried parts, is oscillated in the reverse direction. This moves the pin 3| downward clear of the spring arm 32, so that it at once snaps clear of the contact 34, thus opening the circuit to the light 3.

The instance of the coil 1 and its repeating control of a power current switch is for the succeeding operation to be opposite or reverse. The signal circuit control may have the actuator including the coil I installed in a wall receptacle, junction box, or outlet box 38 (Fig. 1) which may have a closure front or plate 39 with one of the push buttons Ill thereon.

'I'he range of adaptation is not necessarily to a switch outlet receptacle, but may be to other Wall or ceiling receptacle, outlet box or canopy. For instance, in such latter receptacle, a coil 4B (Fig. may have a circuit thereto by a. line 4| from the signal circuit line 8. From the other line 5 of the signal circuit, by lines S, 42, a push button switch 43, and aline 44, may complete a circuit to energize the coil 40 to throwv its linger I5 to open and close a switch 45 to connect the power line i to a line 46 to the light 3. It is to be noted that with the switch 45 in the other side of the power supply to the light 3 as open precludes any response for opswitch 33 open, the closingv of the switch 45 does not turn on the light 3.

There is snap action in the rocking of the shaft I8 to operate the controls thereon. As the upwardly thrust finger I5 rides along a cam face 2@ to rock such face away from its stop pin 28, the pin 26 puts the spring 25 under further tension in its lift to mid position above the shaft I8; Then as it rides past this center dead or midposition, there is a quick snap or rocking of the shaft I8 to have the face 2| strike its stop pin 25. The next or succeeding energizing of the coil 'l clears the face 2| from its pin 29 as the face 20 is brought to its stop 28. With a plurality of controls responding to the rocking of the shaft I8, may be closed as another switch 4l (Fig. 4) is opened. Furthermore, an adjustable mounting 48 for lug 49 on this additional disk 38, makes available a special timing relation than the switch 33, the

, 28 and the disk Il. In this stantaneous interval therefor, which may be of value in determining a desired sequence in controls.

t may be considered that these operations due to the'rocking of the shaft I8 are secondary. and that primary actuation may come from an arm 50 (Fig. 6) directly mounted on the linger I5 adapted to ride in the clearance between the pin transit, the arm 50 rigid with the linger I5, may operate a switch 5I, say to connect a line 52 (Fig. 7) from the line 2, to a line 53 to a light bulb 54 having a line 55 therefrom to the line I. This may be a ash illumination to serve as a signal that the actuator linger I5 really functioned.

Additionally, the nger I5 may carry other controls, as a pivoted arm 56 (Fig. 6) loaded to have its free end swing down in freely passing a switch l during the ascent of the linger I5, but as the rarer I5 descends, a stop 58 holds the pivoted arm 56 to operate the switchl in a circuit having a line 59 (Fig. 7) thereto and aline 60 therefrom to a motor 6i having its circuit completed by a lin` 62 to a battery 63 as an independent energy source connected to the line 5e.

The plural primary controls from the finger I5 mayv be for the other or reverse course with a switch 64 responding to the extended arm 5e for operating the switch Sii when the linger I5 be directed to have the arm 5t clear of the switch 5|. The closing of the switch 6d may connect a line 65 with a line 56 to cut in a motor 6l having ists circuit comp1eted-thru a line 58 to a battery The ascent rocking of the finger I5 as initially operating the switch t4 may in a slight almost inlag have the arm 55 extended to actuate a switch lo connecting a line 'II from the line S with a line l2 to an audible signal or bell i3 with aline i4 therefrom to theline 5 of the signal circuit.

Besides the actuator coil l, there may be additional sundry remote controls variously cut in or operated from similar actuator units at coils l5, 76, il, l. A single switch i@ is shown for the actuator coils l5, l5, which may therefrom have i5 oppositely actuated. Independent there may be adopted a single switch 'I9 for cutting out a connection to one of the coils ll, 'i8 as the connection is cut in for the other coil it, 7l. It is to be noted that in the push button type of switch, the current consumption for the actucontrols. With the switch l5 to determine a hold-in position, such duration may be of service in the primary controls from the linger I5.

What is claimed and it is desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A compact switch-operating unit comprising a coil, a bracket wall having an opening in which opening the coil is mounted, said wall extending upwardly from viding a bearing extending transversely of the wall, an insulation cam first disk mounted by the bearing, an additional switch operating second disk on the opposite side of the wail from and xed with the cam rst disk, a switch in proxthe coil and there pro-v eng tlie core. yieldable directinx moans positioning i0 the fluter normally to take the direction of core travel upon coil energizing actuation of the core. sfnid bracket wall providing a bearing extending transversely of the direction o! the core, a twoway throw cam rockably mounted at the bearing. j, disk spaced from the bracket wall by the cam ip providina a luide way ior iinzer thrust to rock the cam successively in opposite directions, a syitch operating disk at the opposite side ot the yall from the cam and coaxial of and ilxed with the cam, and a switch responsive to disk shiftinxs to move to opposite control positions.

' LATHROP P. BERRY.

)LAVIUS IUGIN'I DAVIS. III.

l summons cmu The following references are of record in the ille of this patent:

UNITED s'ra'rns Pxrgn'rs Number Name Dot 870,078 Blackmore Nov. 5. im 936,601 Carson Oct. 12,1000 990,512 Barnum Apr. 25, 1911 1,407,603 Timmons Feb. 21,1932

1,658,511 BrlLvnis Peb. 7,1030

1,701,357 Butler Rb. 5,19

1,966,285 Deans Jul! 10, 10M

2,324,344 Hutt July 20,1943

FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Dai.

201,521 Great Britain Peb. 2l, 102! `517,919 France Dec. 28,1030 523,289

Electrical World, May 11, 1946i, pages 90 and .01.

Great Britain Jill! 10.19 

